Micron 1-alpha Process Technology
Memory and storage solutions provider Micron Technology announced the mass shipment of DRAM products based on the 1a “Micron 1-alpha” node. The process is currently the world’s most advanced DRAM technology, with significant breakthroughs in density, power consumption, and performance.
Micron claims the 1-alpha process technology increases memory density by 40% compared to the previous generation 1z DRAM process. Micron plans to fully introduce 1α nodes into its DRAM product line this year to better support a wide range of DRAM applications – providing enhanced performance for a variety of applications including mobile devices and smart vehicles.
This 1α node achievement confirms Micron’s excellence in DRAM and is a direct result of Micron’s relentless commitment to cutting-edge design and technology. With a 40% improvement in memory density over our previous 1z DRAM node, this advancement will create a solid foundation for future product and memory innovation.
said Scott DeBoer, executive vice president of technology and products at Micron.
Micron’s 1α technology node makes memory solutions more energy-efficient and reliable and brings faster-running LPDDR5 to mobile platforms that require the best low-power DRAM products. The company’s 1.5GHz DRAM platform has been designed for the mobile industry, enabling 5G users to do more on their phones without sacrificing battery life.
Micron’s 1-alpha Advanced Memory Node, which offers densities from 8Gb to 16Gb, will help extend the lifecycle of Micron’s existing DDR4 and LPDDR4 families and provide Micron’s customers in the server, client, networking, and embedded segments with lower power consumption, more reliable products, and more comprehensive product support, thereby reducing customers’ re-validation. For applications such as automotive embedded solutions, industrial PCs, and edge servers with long product lifecycles, the 1α process also ensures a more favorable total cost of ownership throughout the system lifecycle.
Micron’s facility in Taiwan, China, has begun volume production of 1α node DRAM, starting with DDR4 memory for the computing market and Crucial’s consumer PC DRAM products. Micron has also started to provide LPDDR4 prototypes to mobile customers for validation. The company will introduce additional new products based on this technology in 2021.